Suffering from reproductive health problems is not an experience most women would call enjoyable. Reproductive health problems include Poly Cycstic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), endometriosis, menstrual cramps and PMS, all of which can be controlled and cured in some cases if you just change your lifestyle to some degree.
There are quite a few lifestyle changes that you can make to help alleviate these problems:
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- Change your sanitary products. The products sold in stores have so many chemicals in them that they are half of the problem resulting in menstrual cramps. The chemicals are absorbed into the body, the body reacts by trying to get rid of them, hence the cramping. Move to either 100% cotton products such as the Natracare range sold at Butterfly Wings or the Mooncup, both of which contain no chemicals.
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- Cut out gluten i.e wheat. Wheat is one of the main contributors to pain in our body. Many people are intolerant to wheat these days. By removing ALL wheat from your diet you can alleviate most of your cramps during your menstrual cycle and a lot of your PMS symptoms just before your period.
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- Cut out sugar. Sugar is a drug; it is so addictive. One thing I always notice with people I work with is when I ask them how much sugar are eating they always underestimate how much is going into their body. They forget about all the hidden sugar. One rule to live by is ½ a teaspoon of sugar a day is the MAXIMUM amount of sugar one should consume.
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- Many women are not on a good multivitamin. One needs to be taking omegas, vitamin B and folic acid every day – and this is just for optimum daily function. Women who suffer from menstrual problems often need extra multivitamins as their bodies are depleted of certain nutrients.
These are just four basic things a person who is suffering from any of these problems needs to address. There is so much more that you can do on top of this that will help identify what exactly is going on and why. An example is charting your cycle to identify when the pain is occurring, what foods cause certain intolerances, or if there are greater problems such as thyroid conditions –the list is endless. Charting your cycle will also help implement these lifestyle changes so that the changes become easier.
Don’t let anyone tell you there is no cure. The pain and discomfort you are experiencing are signs that your body is asking you to help it. Address the symptoms.